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The Los Angeles Lakers are just a couple of weeks away from playing their first regular-season game without LeBron James for the first time in almost a decade. However, there is a little bit of a roster crunch, as they are one player over the allowed limit.
The Lakers have a good idea of what they are going to do about that. Dalton Knecht will likely be dealt in some type of trade before the season starts.
“My understanding is a consolidation trade. Obviously, it would be two-for-one, three-for-one, or three-for-two is a little more complicated," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said."So I think the most straightforward one would be two-for-one…And depending on the configuration of the trade, it could be a version of two of the back-end guys, let's say Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy, for a backup center."
On Monday night, it became a little clearer who else might be gone with Knecht in a potential trade. Jarred Vanderbilt and Knecht were the only players not to play in the first three quarters.
“Only two available official roster players (non-two-ways) didn’t play in the first three quarters: Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht,” Buha posted.
This just makes it clear that these two guys are likely the ones LA is trying to ship out before they have to cut anyone. The duo did enter the game during the fourth quarter.
“Chris Mañon, Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt all enter to start the fourth quarter. 14 players have now played for the Lakers today,” reporter Benjamin Royer posted.
Knecht has been the one rumored to be cut if a trade doesn’t happen, and all of that is starting to be realized as he just isn’t being utilized anymore. For Vanderbilt, his role with the team has become less and less since signing his new contract a few years ago.
Knecht and Vanderbilt are on contracts that combine for $66 million. The duo was once promising for the Lakers, as they brought so much to the team. Now, they are viewed as pieces the Lakers must get rid of.
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